Swimming pool liner support means

ABSTRACT

A preformed liner support or so-called filler device of triangular cross section which is designed for fast and easy installation in an above-the-ground swimming pool or other pool utilizing a flexible plastic water-retaining liner. Said triangular filler device is positioned on the ground along the bottom of the pool sidewalls, within the pool interior, and is designed to provide support means for the lower portion of said plastic liner to prevent the same from being ruptured by the weight of the water in the pool, as well as eliminating the possibility of water pressure forcing said liner beneath the bottom edge of said pool sidewalls.

O Umted States Patent 1 51 3,644,942 Haight 1 Feb. 29, 1972 [54]SWIMMING POOL LINER SUPPORT 3,315,278 4/1967 Schatzki et al ..4/172. 19

MEANS 3,486,289 12/1969 Lavack [72] Inventor: Donald C. Haight 174 WestAllerton primary EXamine,- Henry m il 53207 Attorney-Morse" & Morsell l1 197 57] ABSTRACT [211 44947 A preformed liner support or so-calledfiller device of triangular cross section which is designed for fast andeasy installation [52] US. Cl ..4/ 172.19, 4/172 in an above-the-groundswimming pool or other pool utilizing [51] ....E04h 3/16, E041 3/13 aflexible plastic water-retaining liner. Said triangular filler 58 Fieldof Search v.4/172,1'/2.19,172.11 device is Positioned on the groundalong the bottom of the pool sidewalls, within the pool interior, and isdesigned to pro- 5 References Cited vide support means for the lowerportion of said plastic liner to prevent the same from being ruptured bythe weight of the UNITED STATES PATENTS water in the pool, as well aseliminating the possibility of water pressure forcing said liner beneaththe bottom edge of said 3,024,470 3/1962 Baker ..4/ 172 pool sidewalls.3,256,532 6/1966 Lindsey et 211.... 3,193,847 7/1965 Mashura ..4/172. l917 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures 1 n 4 i fl w,

I i i 1 4 /6 /3 {1 Z g L 7 nu-u --Z/ Patented Feb. 29, 1972 3,644,942

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR DONALD c. HAIGHT I M- M ATTORNEYS PatentedFeb. 29, 1972 3,644,942

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m w L 2 2a 1 a f :j w LL 22 Z/ INVENTOR DONALD C.HAIGHT ATTORNEYS Patented F b 29, 1372 3,644,942

3 Sheets==he&t 3

DONALD 'C. HAIGHT AT TORNEY SWIMMING POOL LINER SUPPORT MEANS BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relatesto liner-supporting filler means for swimming pools of the typeemploying a flexible plastic water-retaining liner.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the installation of above-the-groundswimming pools or other pools utilizing a plastic liner it is necessarythat a beveled embankment or the like be built up along the bottom ofthe pool wall, in the pool interior, in order to provide support meansfor the lower portion of the plastic liner to prevent the same frombeing ruptured by the weight of the water in the pool, or from beingforced beneath the bottom edge of the pool sidewalls, which isundesirable. For this purpose it has heretofore been the custom for thepool owner to obtain a supply of dirt or sand and laboriously form ashort sloping earthen embankment which is designed to angle downwardlyfrom the pool wall to the ground to support the relatively thin plasticliner. This is an extremely tedious, difficult, and timeconsuming chore.Moreover, at the end of the season if the pool is disassembled andstored away the earthen embankment is washed away or disintegrated bythe elements, and the next year it is necessary for the pool owner torepeat the laborious task of building an earthen support, or so-calledfiller, around the interior of his pool. Another shortcoming of saidconventional earthen embankments is that if the pool liner shoulddevelop a leak said earthen filler will be washed away, and must berebuilt when the liner is repaired.

With the above in mind, the present invention is intended to provide apreformed filler device molded of plastic or the like, which device canbe quickly and easily installed in a pool to perform the function of aliner support, thereby eliminating the task of manually constructing afiller of dirt or sand, as is the present practice.

As far as applicant is aware, there are no prior patents which in anyway anticipate his invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a moldedplastic filler device for swimming pools of the type utilizing an inner,flexible plastic liner, which filler device is triangular in crosssection so that it can be rested on the ground flush against the poolsidewall and will provide an inclined surface designed to support thelower portion of said flexible liner, at the juncture between thevertical and horizontal portions of said liner. Thus said filler notonly provides support for said relatively thin flexible plastic liner,to prevent the same from rupturing, but it also effectively prevents thepressure of the water in the pool from forcing said liner under thebottom edge of the pool wall, which frequently occurs when a filler ofsome type is not utilized.

A further object of the invention is to provide a preformed fillerdevice molded of plastic or similar material, as described, which fillercan be formed in short, easily handled sections which are adapted to bereadily joined together to form a filler assembly of any desired length.

A further object is to provide a swimming pool filler device molded ofplastic or similar material, as described, which material may beresilient and pliable to conform to the contour of the particular poolin which said filler is to be installed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a preformed plasticfiller, as described, which forms a smoother, more even support for theinclined pool liner portion, thereby facilitating the cleaning of thepool.

A further object is to provide a preformed plastic filler as describedwhich is tough and durable, and which can be used for a number ofseasons without requiring repair or replacement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a preformed pool filleras described which is adaptable for use with pools of various makes andstyles.

A further object is to provide a modified form of the invention which isadapted to be used with a supplemental, overlay filler strip forincreased size and strength where required.

A further object is to provide a modified form of the inventionutilizing adhesive means to ensure the proper positioning of said fillerdevice relative to the pool wall.

A further object is to provide a modified form of the inventionutilizing a specially designed plastic or metal base element tofacilitate and ensure the proper installation and retention of saidfiller.

Still further objects of the present invention are to provide a novelfiller device for swimming pools of the type utilizing plastic liners,as described, which novel filler is relatively inexpensive tomanufacture, and which is otherwise particularly well adapted for itsintended purposes, as will become apparent hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings,illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and severalmodified forms thereof, and wherein the same reference numeralsdesignate the same or similar parts in all of the views:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a typical above-theground-typeswimming pool utilizing the present invention, a portion thereof beingbroken away and shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a rectangular form of pool utilizing theinvention;

FIG. 3 is a similar perspective view showing a circular poolincorporating the invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of thepreformed filler device;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the fillercomprising the invention installed in a pool;

FIG. 6 is a similar vertical sectional view showing a modified form ofsaid filler device;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing another modified form of theinvention;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a clip device forsecuring two adjacent filler sections together;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing a special base element that can beused with the invention; and

FIG. l0 is a sectional view of a modified form of the base memberillustrated in FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now more particularlyto FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings, illustrated therein is a circularswimming pool 10 of the type that is ordinarily erected in a backyard ora driveway or the like, said pool being designed to rest on the ground13 and being provided with an upright wall 11 several feet in heightformed of sheet metal or the like. In the use of a pool of this type aflexible plastic liner 14 is mounted within the pool to retain thewater.

In FIG. 2 there is shown a similar above-the-ground pool 10 which isrectangular in form, including a plurality of right-angularly disposedsidewalls 1 1. With respect to the shape of said pool, incidentally, itis to be understood that the novel socalled filler device comprising thepresent invention can be advantageously utilized with pools of anyconfiguration or size. Moreover, in addition to its use withabove-the-ground pools, the preformed filler can be used with anyswimming pool utilizing a flexible, water-retaining plastic liner, andthe invention is not to be limited in this respect.

As hereinabove mentioned, with pools using a thin plastic liner thepractice has heretofore been for the owner to obtain a quantity of dirtand tediously buildup an inclined bulwark or embankment against theinner surface of the pool wall which extends upwardly at an angle fromthe ground to a point on the wall spaced several inches above theground, the purpose being to provide a solid backing and support for thelower por tion of said pool liner at the juncture of the liner bottomand sidewall (which liner portion is designated by the numeral 14' inFIG. 5). Without such support it has been found that the considerableweight and pressure of the water in the pool (which water is designatedby the numeral 26 in the drawings) is likely to rupture said plasticliner, or said water pressure is liable to force the liner under thebottom edge of the pool wall 11, which is undesirable.

As will be appreciated, the building of said earthen barrier or filleris an extremely tedious and time-consuming chore. Moreover, if the ownerdisassembles his pool after the season said dirt filler will be washedaway or destroyed by the elements, and when he erects his pool thefollowing year it is necessary for the owner to go through the work ofbuilding another filler of dirt or sand. With this in mind, and ashereinabove mentioned, the object of the present invention is to providean inexpensive preformed filler which can be quickly and easilyinstalled in a fraction of the time required to form an earthen filler,and which preformed plastic filler can be stored away with the pool foruse in subsequent years.

In accordance with the invention, and referring now specifically toFIGS. 1-5 of the drawings, the novel preformed liner support orso-called filler is designated generally by the numeral 16. Said filler16 is triangular in cross section and is preferably molded of arelatively inexpensive but durable plastic material, such as styrofoamor other even more pliable plastic or rubberlike material which willpermit said filler to be easily shaped to fit the contour of theparticular pool for which it is intended. In the embodiment of theinvention illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, said filler is in the form of aright-angled isosceles triangle, with the horizontal side or bottom 17and vertical side 18 thereof being equal and lying flush against theground 13 and pool sidewall 11, respectively, and with the flexibleplastic pool liner l4 resting against the elongated inclined side 19 ofsaid triangular filler, as best appears in FIG. 5. With respect to saidangled face 19 of the present filler, incidentally, while a flat planehas been found to perform satisfactorily in most pools, in someinstallations it might be preferred that said face 19 be slightly convexin form, so that when it is subjected to the tremendous pressure of thewater in the pool said bowed surface will be forcibly urged inwardlythereby to assume the flat plane which is desired.

Although it is not illustrated in the drawing, it is possible to formthe triangular filler device 16 with a plurality of spaced cutouts ornotches in its back face 18 to promote the deflection or bending of saidfiller when it is intended to be installed in a curved or contouredpool.

With reference still to FIG. 5, most conventional above-thegroundswimming pools have their sidewalls 11 formed of sheet metal, asdescribed, (although plastic or other material could also be utilized)and the bottom longitudinal edges of said walls are designed to fit intoa slotted pipe or tube 21 or the like which is intended to reinforce andprovide a stable base therefor. Alternatively, a rectangular baseelement can be employed, or the lower edge of said wall 1 1 can bedeflected and shaped to form a flange adapted to perform the samefunction. In any event, with pools of the type herein concerned it isdesirable to have an enlarged base element removably or permanentlyformed along the lower edge of the pool sidewalls for increased rigidityand stability. Preferably a plurality of spaced clips 27 (FIG. 5) eachhaving a depending leg carried within said slotted base member 21 and anupright, angled leg forcibly inserted into the plastic filler areutilized to retain said filler in position relative to the pool wall,although this is not a critical feature of the invention. As a matter offact, once the filler has been installed and the pool filled with water26 the pressure of said water functions to securely retain said fillerin position.

To accommodate a base element such as the tube 21 formed or mounted onthe bottom edge of the pool wall the novel preformed filler devicecomprising the present invention has a cutout 22 formed in the lowercorner portion thereof. In the embodiment of the invention illustratedin FIGS. 4 and 5 said cutout 22 is rectangular in shape in order toreceive either a tubular base member such as the element 21 or arectangular pipe or base flange, while in the form of the inventionillustrated in FIGS. 6-8 it will be noted that the cutout 22 issemicircular in order to closely accommodate a tubular base element 21.In FIG. 8 of the drawings, moreover, there is shown a modified form ofthe invention wherein partial arcuate cuts 23 are provided in thefiller, and if said filler is to be used with a pool wall having atubular base element the user has merely to pull the piece 24 free,manually severing the thin strip 24 holding the same to the fillerproper, thereby providing a longitudinal curved cutout for a tubularbase member 21.

With reference again to FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings, it will be seenthat the modified triangular filler 26 illustrated therein has a shorterbase surface 17 than vertical face 18, and in FIG. 7 there is mountedagainst the inclined face 19 of said triangular filler a supplemental orso-called overlay strip 28. Said overlay strip is ordinarily, though notnecessarily, molded of the same plastic or other material as the fillerproper, and is provided for those pool installations wherein the ownerdesires a larger, bulkier filler device than that provided by theregular filler l6 hereinabove described. Said overlay strip 28 can berolled into a compact unit when not in use and can be quickly and easilysecured to the regular filler 16' by means of a double-faced adhesive 29or the like, said adhesive being in the form of an elongated continuousstrip or shorter, spaced pieces, as desired. In this respect,incidentally, in lieu of the above-described spaced clips 27 (FIG. 5)employed to hold the filler in proper position against the pool wall 11,a strip or pieces 30 of similar double-faced adhesive can be utilizedfor this function, as shown in FIG. 7.

Ordinarily the plastic filler strip 16 comprising the present inventionwill be provided in convenient, relatively short lengths, as for examplel0 foot sections, which can be easily handled and when it is desired toinstall the filler in a pool a number of said sections can be joinedtogether to form a continuous elongated strip of the required length.Numerous connecting devices can be used for this purpose, of course, andin FIG. 8 there is illustrated a plastic or metal bracket device 31which is particularly well adapted for this purpose. As will be seen,said platelike connector 31 is adapted to cover the juncture 34 betweentwo adjacent filler sections, to prevent the pool liner from finding itsway therebetween, and is provided with a downwardly deflected top flange32 which fits closely over the upper edge of said filler sections. Apair of pointed prongs 33 or the like which are punched inwardly fromsaid plate stock are forcibly inserted into said plastic filler sectionsto prevent the same from shifting, thereby providing a simple buteffective means for securely joining the adjacent filler sec tions. Asmentioned, said connecting bracket 31 is merely one possible device thatcan be used to join the separate filler sections, and other means,including tape, can be utilized without departing from the spirit andintended scope of the invention.

Referring now to FIG. 9 of the drawings, illustrated therein is amodified form of the present invention wherein a special rigid plasticor metal base member 36 is designed to retain the triangular, preformedfiller 16 in position. As will be seen, said base member 36 includes aflat bottom 37 upon which the lower face 17 of the filler is seated, anupright wall 38, and an upwardly and inwardly angled outer end portion39 within which the lower, outer corner of said filler is retained. Notonly does said base member aid in holding the filler firmly in position,but it greatly speeds and facilitates the installation of said filler,it being necessary merely to lay said relatively rigid base element inposition on the ground immediately adjacent the pool wall and to thenmanually pressurably insert the plastic filler therein.

In FIG. 10 there is shown a modified form 36' of the base member 36illustrated in FIG. 9, wherein a slightly different angled outer endportion 39 is employed, and wherein the upright wall 38 is provided withan offset outwardly projecting portion 40 at its lower end forming arecess to accommodate a pool wall having a flanged base portion 1 l Asmentioned, the bottom portions of the pool walls can vary widely,depending upon the make and style of the pool, and, similarly, it is tobe understood that the size as well as the shape of the base recess 40illustrated in FIG. can also be varied, depending upon the particularpool wall structure for which the unit is intended.

To install the new and improved preformed filler device 16 comprisingthe present invention in a swimming pool, a number of filler sectionsare joined together as described, and are positioned on the groundwithin the pool interior with the vertical face of said triangularfiller abutting the inner surface of the pool wall. A base device suchas the base 36 illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 may be utilized to aid inthe installation of said filler, but the invention is not to be limitedto use with such a base member. After the filler has been installedaround the entire inner periphery of the pool the conventional flexibleplastic pool liner can be mounted in the pool in the usual manner, andthe pool filled with water.

As hereinabove described, due to the presence of said filler member 16the lower portion 14' of the relatively thin and fragile plasticwater-retaining liner 14 is firmly supported and will not rupture nor beforced under the bottom edge of the pool wall by the pressure of thewater therein.

A further important advantage of the preformed plastic filler comprisingthe present invention is that it provides a much smoother, more eveninclined surface than can ordinarily be obtained with a filler manuallyformed of dirt or sand, thereby eliminating crevices or wrinkles in saidliner and facilitating the cleaning of the pool interior.

Unlike the manually formed dirt or sand fillers heretofore used, when itis desired to disassemble the pool at the end of the season the plasticfiller 16 comprising the present invention can be readily folded into arelatively small, compact unit and stored with the pool, where it willbe available the next year when it is time to reassemble the pool.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be seen that the presentinvention provides a completely new innovation in the swimming pool art,and which eliminates one of the most tedious and time-consuming choresheretofore associated with the erection of above-the-ground pools, aswell as other pools utilizing a flexible plastic liner.

As mentioned, it is to be understood that while a preferred form of thepresent invention, and several modifications thereof, have beenillustrated and described herein, numerous additional modifications orvariations of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. It iscontemplated, moreover, that while the novel preformed filler devicecomprising the present invention has been described throughout theforegoing specification as being formed of styrofoam or similar plasticmaterial, said filler could be formed of any material suitable for thepurpose described, and the invention is by no means to be limited orconfined in this respect. Accordingly, what is intended to be coveredherein is not only the illustrated forms of the present invention, butalso any and all variations or modifications thereof as may come withinthe spirit of said invention.

What I claim is:

1. in a swimming pool of the type having a vertical sidewall extendingupwardly from the ground and an inner, waterretaining flexible liner,liner support means, comprising: an elongated preformed filler ofsubstantially triangular cross section, said filter being adapted to berested on the ground in the pool interior with one face positionedagainst the inner surface of said pool vertical sidewall and with itsinclined face extending downwardly at an angle to the ground from apoint on said pool wall spaced above the ground, said preformed fillerbeing adapted to be installed around the entire inner periphery of saidpool and to have the lower portion of said flexible liner, at thejuncture of said liner side and bottom portions, positioned on saidinclined filler face, said filler providing support means for saidlinear portion to prevent the same from being ruptured by the weight andpressure of the water in the pool or from being forced beneath said poolsidewall by said water pressure, said filler being formed of a materialwhich is flexible to permit said filler to conform to the contour ofthergarticular pool in which it is to be installed.

2. e swimming pool liner support device recited in claim 1 wherein saidpool sidewall has an enlarged base element on its bottom longitudinaledge, and wherein said filler is provided with a recess to accommodatesaid wall base element.

3. The swimming pool liner support device recited in claim 2 whereinsaid filler recess is rectangular in shape.

4. The swimming pool liner support device recited in claim 2 whereinsaid filler recess is arcuate in shape.

5. The swimming pool liner support device recited in claim 1 whereinsaid filler device is formed of a plastic material.

6. The swimming pool liner support device recited in claim 5 whereinsaid filler device is styrofoam plastic.

7. The swimming pool liner support device recited in claim 1 andincluding means for retaining said support device in position relativeto the pool wall.

8. The swimming pool liner support device recited in claim 7 whereinsaid retaining means comprises a plurality of spaced slips engageablewith said filler and with the lower portion of said pool wall.

9. The swimming pool liner support device recited in claim 7 whereinsaid retaining means comprises double-faced adhesive tape.

10. The swimming pool liner support means recited in claim 1 whereinsaid elongated filler is formed of a plurality of joined-togethersections.

1 l. The swimming pool liner support means recited in claim 10 whereinsaid filler sections are joined together by removable clip means.

12. The swimming pool liner support means recited in claim 10 whereinsaid filler sections are joined together by means of adhesive tape.

13. The swimming pool liner support means recited in claim 1 andincluding an overlay strip adapted to be mounted on the inclined face ofsaid filler.

14. The swimming pool liner support means recited in claim 1 andincluding a rigid base member within which said filler is removablymountable, said base member comprising a bottom, a vertical backpositionable against the outer surface of the pool wall, and an upwardlyand inwardly angled outer end portion designed to engage the loweracutely angled comer of said triangular filler.

15. The swimming pool liner support means recited in claim 14 whereinsaid base member back is provided with an offset outwardly projectingportion forming a recess adapted to accommodate an enlarged base memberon the bottom of said pool wall.

16. The swimming pool liner support means recited in claim 1 andincluding a rigid base member within which said filler is removablymountable, said base member comprising a vertical back positionableagainst the outer surface of the pool wall, a bottom, and an uprightforward end portion adapted to be received in a vertically disposedslotted opening located intermediate the width of the filler bottom andextending the length thereof.

17. The swimming pool liner support device recited in claim 3 wherein abase member is positioned in closely spaced relation to the innersurface of the pool sidewall, and wherein a strip of material is securedto and extends downwardly from the back face of said filler, said stripbeing adapted to closely fit between said pool sidewall and base memberswith the latter positioned in said filler recess.

1. In a swimming pool of the type having a vertical sidewall extendingupwardly from the ground and an inner, water-retaining flexible liner,liner support means, comprising: an elongated preformed filler ofsubstantially triangular cross section, said filter being adapted to berested on the ground in the pool interior with one face positionedagainst the inner surface of said pool vertical sidewall and with itsinclined face extending downwardly at an angle to the ground from apoint on said pool wall spaced above the ground, said preformed fillerbeing adapted to be installed around the entire inner periphery of saidpool and to have the lower portion of said flexible liner, at thejuncture of said liner side and bottom portions, positioned on saidinclined filler face, said filler providing support means for saidlinear portion to prevent the same from being ruptured by the weight andpressure of the water in the pool or from being forced beneath said poolsidewall by said water pressure, said filler being formed of a materialwhich is flexible to permit said filler to conform to the contour of theparticular pool in which it is to be installed.
 2. The swimming poolliner support device recited in claim 1 wherein said pool sidewall hasan enlarged base element on its bottom longitudinal edge, and whereinsaid filler is provided with a recess to accommodate said wall baseelement.
 3. The swimming pool liner support device recited in claim 2wherein said filler recess is rectangular in shape.
 4. The swimming poolliner support device recited in claim 2 wherein said filler recess isarcuate in shape.
 5. The swimming pool liner support device recited inclaim 1 wherein said filler device is formed of a plastic material. 6.The swimming pool liner support device recited in claim 5 wherein saidfiller device is styrofoam plastic.
 7. The swimming pool liner supportdevice recited in claim 1 and including means for retaining said supportdevice in position relative to the pool wall.
 8. The swimming pool linersupport device recited in claim 7 wherein said retaining means comprisesa plurality of spaced slips engageable with said filler and with thelower portion of said pool wall.
 9. The swimming pool liner supportdevice recited in claim 7 wherein said retaining means comprisesdouble-faced adhesive tape.
 10. The swimming pool liner support meansrecited in claim 1 wherein said elongated filler is formed of aplurality of joined-together sections.
 11. The swimming pool linersupport means recited in claim 10 wherein said filler sections arejoined together by removable clip means.
 12. The swimming pool linersupport means recited in claim 10 wherein said filler sections arejoined together by means of adhesive tape.
 13. The swimming pool linersupport means recited in claim 1 and includiNg an overlay strip adaptedto be mounted on the inclined face of said filler.
 14. The swimming poolliner support means recited in claim 1 and including a rigid base memberwithin which said filler is removably mountable, said base membercomprising a bottom, a vertical back positionable against the outersurface of the pool wall, and an upwardly and inwardly angled outer endportion designed to engage the lower acutely angled corner of saidtriangular filler.
 15. The swimming pool liner support means recited inclaim 14 wherein said base member back is provided with an offsetoutwardly projecting portion forming a recess adapted to accommodate anenlarged base member on the bottom of said pool wall.
 16. The swimmingpool liner support means recited in claim 1 and including a rigid basemember within which said filler is removably mountable, said base membercomprising a vertical back positionable against the outer surface of thepool wall, a bottom, and an upright forward end portion adapted to bereceived in a vertically disposed slotted opening located intermediatethe width of the filler bottom and extending the length thereof.
 17. Theswimming pool liner support device recited in claim 3 wherein a basemember is positioned in closely spaced relation to the inner surface ofthe pool sidewall, and wherein a strip of material is secured to andextends downwardly from the back face of said filler, said strip beingadapted to closely fit between said pool sidewall and base members withthe latter positioned in said filler recess.